2012 Election Will Require Much Wisdom From Conservatives

Things are most definitely heating up in the 2012 race for the White House. The first “official” event of the election just took place with the Iowa Straw Poll. This event is typically what kicks off the real race, though strangely enough, rarely is the winner of the Iowa Straw Poll chosen as the nominee.

The atmosphere of the race is a myriad of conflicting views, strategies and ideas, which is typical of political campaigns who oppose each other.

The attitude of the people who support particular candidates adds to the conflicting atmosphere.

One thing that the Democrats have learned and do very well is patience. That is, up until now. It has taken approximately 100 years, give or take a few years, to bring us to the point we are at. It is debated as to when the actual start of the progressive movement started, but the approximate time is the beginning of the 20th Century.

Slowly, over time, the progressives have inched their way in our lives more and more, imposing their views, making them law, and taking away our freedoms more and more every year.

We have now reached a point in history where our freedoms are being taken more and more every single day, rather than every single year. Their patience has run out.

We now have the most progressive President in the White House that America has ever been “led” by. I use this term loosely, because even his own supporters question his ability to actually lead. While they most definitely do not agree with the Conservative side of the argument, they are now questioning the quality of his tenure.

Unless some major upheaval goes on in the Democratic Party, Barack ObamaWILL be the nominee for the Democratic Party in the 2012 election. It is very unlikely that someone will seriously challenge him. While there are many who voted for him in the 2008 election, there are many who have said they made a mistake and will not make that mistake again.

That brings us to the die-hard Democrats. There are those who will vote for him just because they refuse to cross party lines. They will vote for Barack Obama again, knowing his failure to lead this country during his fist term, and where that has led us, because they refuse to vote for a “Republican”.

On the opposite side of the aisle, we have Conservatives. If you notice, I did not say we have “Republicans”.

Over the years, the Republican Party has left the Conservatives. We have more RINO’s in office, and voters as well, that do not hold the same values as Conservatives. Within the Conservative population, there are many varying degrees of Conservatism. This is the true issue we face as Conservatives.

A very wise man often tells me that in politics, you must sometimes give up something you want to get something else that is more important to you. Quite honestly, this presents a problem for me, as I am a firm believer that if you compromise your beliefs you have compromised your soul. I have argued quite fiercely that I just cannot do that- I’ve learned the hard way, in my younger years, the cost of compromising your beliefs. It can cost you dearly! I know from personal experience.

The issues we are facing now have not happened overnight. It has been a slow progression of time (hence the name, progressive) and actions from the progressive, liberal side of the aisle that has brought us face to face with a country I no longer recognize.

If Conservatives (myself included), are not careful, we are going to refuse to compromise, and in the process, we will be cutting off our noses in spite of our face. Invariably, there are going to be people who will not support whoever becomes the nominee for the Republican Party.

In the last election, I almost fell into this trap myself. I did not like McCain, and had decided that I was not going to vote in the election. I am absolutely sick and tired of having to choose the lesser of two evils!

The very wise man who I mentioned in the beginning of this article was none too happy with me! In fact, there were times things bordered on boiling over into an all-out argument, rather than discussion. Thankfully, in the end, Sarah Palin came on the scene and became McCain’s running mate. While she is not perfect, as I have previously said, she is someone I could vote for without feeling dirty afterwards. (I continue to stress that there will never be a perfect candidate! There will ALWAYS be something we do not agree with about a particular person- candidate or in any other situation.)

In this election, I am much more informed. While I am still very new to the political world, I refuse to be an ostrich with my head in the sand. I also realize that I very well may have to vote for someone I do not agree with or like, just as was the case with John McCain. I pray that this is not what happens, but it is quite possible. All I can hope for is a running mate that I can at least tolerate.

The danger I see happening is that things in the political realm are reaching a boiling point. People are angry! They no longer want to have to compromise on their beliefs and values. I understand this, and absolutely agree!

The problem is that for so long, the moral Conservatives sat silent. I include myself in this group, but it started many decades before I was even born. Somewhere along the way, Christians, Conservatives, the moral population began to blend into the background. Churches allowed themselves to be silenced, and in the process, individuals within the churches decided not to get involved in the political process any longer.

Over the years, while the Conservatives did not like what was going on in our government, they did not stand up and demand that things were changed. Now we have reached the point of no return. If we do not stand up and make our voices heard, we are going to lose every freedom that we are so very blessed with.

Abraham Lincoln recognized this when he said:

“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”

We are almost at that point.

As I said above, we did not reach this point overnight. It has taken more than 100 years- an entire century- to bring us to the boiling point. Yet, so many of us (yes, myself included) want to change things overnight. There is great danger in this desire.

While it goes against everything in me, I very well may have to compromise. I may have to vote for someone that does not appeal to me in the least. I still have a choice not to vote, so I can say I stood solidly on my principles and refused to vote for a RINO. But just as with every choice we make in life, there is going to be a consequence.

Conservatives- ALL OF US– have to make a decision. Are we going to refuse to compromise, and either refuse to vote, or vote for a third party candidate no matter what?

This is where wisdom comes in. Wisdom does not come from any other source but God Almighty.

He who leans on, trusts in, and is confident of his own mind and heart is a [self-confident] fool, but he who walks in skillful and godly Wisdom shall be delivered. Proverbs 28: 26

Book knowledge does not equate wisdom.

We, as Conservatives- whether we classify ourselves as Republican, Independent, Tea Party, Libretarian, Socially Conservative, Fiscally Conservative, RINO (though I highly doubt someone would identify themselves a RINO willingly), or any other name that falls into the large gambit of labels on the right side of the aisle, have to realize that we will not be able to change things overnight. It is going to be a slow process. If the progressives waited more than 100 years to reach their goal, we can not realistically expect to go back to a principled, moral and completely free nation in one election.

Yes, this is the beginning! Yes, we want to take our country back! We make this the beginning of that process. We hold our elected leaders accountable for their actions! If they do not listen to us, we vote them out! We teach our kids to stand up and let their voice be heard, to make wise choices rather than voting (and doing) for the “popular”. We teach ourselves and our children to question EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE! Thomas Jefferson said it best:

Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.

It is going to be a slow process. Will it take 100 years? I cannot answer that. Will things turn violent during the process? I hope and pray it never comes to that, but there is a great possibility that it will. First and foremost, we must learn to not trust in ourselves, the book knowledge we have gained, but to instead,

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; – Proverbs 5:3

This does not mean to sit idly by and just let the chips fall where they may, because “God is in control.” Yes, absolutely I KNOW God is in control, but He requires us to be involved, stand up for what is right, and make wise choices. Each of us are here for a reason. Each of our lives have purpose. We must determine within ourselves to stand up with strong resolve, with patience, diligently making wise choices with every election- local, state and national.

As the 2012 election draws closer, each and every day this is my prayer:

Give me understanding, that I may keep Your law; yes, I will observe it with my whole heart. Psalm 119:34

About R. Mitchell

Rich Mitchell is the Sr. Managing Editor of Conservative Daily News. His posts may contain opinions that are his own and are not necessarily shared by Anomalous Media, CDN, staff or .. much of anyone else. Find him on twitter, facebook and google+

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Aw Rob. Why do you insist on forcing everyone to abandon religion? Yet I bet you SCREAM for gay-agenda TOLERANCE don’t you? People like you are silly, extremely idealistic, naive, dangerous, and outright dumb.

When you go to sleep tonight, with your head in a San Francisco gutter, I hope you actually enjoy it.